n heart, and she had an increasing desire
to include her in the number of her admirers. Later on, when they were
left alone together at the end of the schoolroom, she put her arm round
the tiny waist, and said caressingly--

"Talking of party dresses, what are you going to wear yourself on
Tuesday evening? You have to put on your best things, you know, just as
if you were going out?"

"_Will_ I?" Pixie looked surprised, but absolutely unperturbed. "But I
haven't a rag to my back but the black you see every night! Bridgie
said, `It's not likely you'll be visiting at Court until ye're
education's finished, so this old grenadine will see you through until
the ship comes home from its next voyage. It's gone a long way this
time,' says she, `and between you and me, I expect the storms will swamp
it, but I've taken the best pieces out of my old dress and Esmeralda's,
and, barring the darn on the back seam, I defy ye to tell it from new!'
So that's all I've got, as I told you before, and, party or no party, it
will have to do."

Lottie looked at her in horrified sympathy, but not a sigh of regret
clouded the beaming face; the head was tilting to and fro in its usual
complacent fashion, the shabby little flounce of a skirt was whisking to
and fro. Such a depth of poverty seemed incomprehensible to the child
of wealthy parents, and she was moved to an unusual desire to help.
Never before had she been known to lend one of her possessions to
another girl, but now she said quite eagerly--

"I have a lace collar, Pixie--a very pretty collar--I'll lend it to you,
and a white ribbon for your hair! It would lighten your dress
wonderfully; and there is a brooch too, and a little gold bangle."

She paused, looking inquiringly to see the result of her offer, for one
could never tell how it would be received. Some girls might be pleased,
others might consider it almost an insult, and she would be sorry to
offend the funny little thing. But Pixie was not offended. She had too
much of the O'Shaughnessy blood in her veins to object to have things
made easy for her at the expense of another, and she felt no
embarrassment in taking the good things that came in her way.

"Oh, ye darlin'!" she cried rapturously. "Will ye lend them to me,
really? Think of me now with a bracelet on me arm, and a brooch at me
neck! They wouldn't be knowing me at home. I wish to-day was Tuesday;
and what shall we do with ourselves all the hours b